"There are certain crimes that are so beyond the pale that I
understand society's need to express its outrage," Obama said.
"So I have not traditionally been opposed to the death penalty in
theory. But in practice it's deeply troubling."

He added, "All of this, I think, has led me to express some very
significant reservations."

Obama told Keller that he is withholding action for now, and will
wait until the results of a
Department of Justice review of the death penalty is
released before deciding if the administration will act to curb
the use of capital punishment.

The president's comments come as the Obama administration
continues to push for broader criminal-justice reform.

The White House, along with members of Congress from both
parties, views criminal-justice reform as a rare space where
compromises over issues such as prison overcrowding and mass
incarceration can be reached.

Earlier this week, a bipartisan criminal-justice reform bill
passed the Senate Judiciary Committee, clearing a key hurdle that
could help bring a final bill closer to passage. The legislation
addresses mandatory minimum sentences, allowing some prisoners
convicted of nonviolent crimes to have their cases reexamined in
certain circumstances.